To the Edge of the Woods
"Miss Lina…"
Lina turned over in her bed at the inn she almost burned down yesterday, after a group of bandits comically tried to kill her with what looked like plastic axes and swords. The only reason the innkeeper agreed to let them stay there was because she threatened to roast him with a well place Fireball. The sun had only just begun to rise when Lina was poked by someone.
"Miss Lina?" The poking continued. Lina muttered in her sleep, "Gourry, keep away from those pork…chops…" She snored a little. "They're…mine."
"Miss Lina," whispered the person, right in Lina's ear, "you missed breakfast."
If anyone ever wanted to wake Lina up, that was the way to go about it. Nothing could get between Lina and food, not even sleep. She shot out of bed and looked all around for her clothes, ignoring her slightly disoriented state since her brain had not yet awoken.
"Breakfast? How could I miss the most important meal of my day?" She struggled to put her boots on.
"Miss Lina…?"
Lina stopped in the middle of fastening her cape. "What? There's no time to waste, Amelia! Food awaits! I'll make sure to threaten the kitchen staff so they give me extra portions this time…"
Amelia looked sheepish. "Miss Lina, breakfast isn't for another three hours."
Lina's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean 'breakfast isn't for another three hours'? What time is it?" She had her hands on her hips now, cape hung haphazardly from her shoulder and arm.
Amelia looked to the sky outside. "It's a little after dawn."
Lina promptly fell back on the bed and Amelia pulled on her arm.
"Miss Lina, you can't go back to sleep!" She tugged harder. "You said you were going to help me practice my magic!"
Lina said something incomprehensible, her mouth muffled by her pillow. Amelia somehow understood her.
"But you promised!"
Lina sat up and sat crosslegged on the bed. "Look, sometimes I say things that I don't mean."
Amelia leaned closer. "And?"
Lina rolled her eyes. "And that was one of those times!"
Amelia began to tear up. "B-But Miss Lina…"
"Don't you 'Miss Lina' me! I have more important things to worry about than training with you, like getting my beauty sleep!"
Yeah, wouldn't want to miss out on sleep! Lina thought happily. Most important thing a beautiful young sorceress like me needs.
"Why don't you ask Zel to train with you? He uses the same magic as you anyway."
"But you said you would train with me! It's really not good form to go back on your word, you know…"
"Well I've changed my mind," Lina said, crossing her arms and nodding her head. "Now go bug Zel. I'm sure he'd appreciate it anyway. He's been kinda moody lately." Though what else is new with him? He's always moody!
Amelia looked downtrodden. "I would practice with Mr. Zelgadis but he's always afraid he'll hit me with a spell and severely injure me—those are his words, not mine. Besides, you are the best…"
Lina's face lit up at the compliment. She laughed haughtily. "Well yeah, you've got that right—I am the best…" She jumped off the bed. "All right, Amelia… I'll train with you. But just this once; next time you'll have to pay me."
Amelia beamed and clasped her hands together in happiness and appreciation. "Oh, thank you so much, Miss Lina!" She practically floated out the door after her.
"We need a target to practice on, Miss Lina!" Amelia said, after practicing various non-offensive spells. "Maybe there's a tree or something around here we could use…" Amelia began examining the trees around the area, looking for one that might have a chance of surviving a Dragon Slave attack. Lina grinned mischievously.
"We don't need a tree," she said matter-of-factly. "I have the perfect target…"
"Tell me again why you want me to be here?" Gourry asked as Lina dragged him a little ways to the place she and Amelia were using as their training grounds.
"Because," Lina said. That was all she said, as a matter of fact. Gourry didn't question is. He knew not to question it.
Amelia looked rather uncertain when Lina arrived with Gourry. She didn't look very comfortable with the fact that she would have to attack her friend—who couldn't, after all, defend himself magically against spells. But Lina dismissed her concern.
"Gourry's been through a lot worse than our magic," Lina reasoned as she patted him on the shoulder. "Besides, if he gets too injured, you could just heal him."
"I don't know, Miss Lina… Gourry doesn't really have the thick skin needed to magic…" Especially if Lina was going to be firing off spells. Gourry wouldn't stand a chance—he couldn't be used as a substitute for a tree.
"We'll see how it goes, ne?" She patted Gourry on the back. "Good luck, Gourry! And thanks for volunteering!"
Gourry blinked. He hadn't volunteered—Lina simply burst into his room and dragged him from the warmth of his bed to the edge of the woods.
Kind of like what Amelia did with Lina.